Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Here is a link to the text of President Obama's speech in Tucson today. At a time when our country is bitterly divided on so many political/social issues, he makes a plea for unity that is so eloquent and sincere that I believe it will live on past our times as a watershed moment in our history.

I'm grateful that I was able to watch him on public television in the live broadcast. He brought tears to my eyes and hope to my heart. He made a point that although we desperately need a more civil political discourse, there is no way for us to know whether the shootings were caused by anything other than the shooter's violent thoughts.

Monday, January 10, 2011

"Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change." Ingrid Bengis

We all know the old childish taunt "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me." We also know what bravado that is, and how very much words can hurt us. We need only to consider the way words of hate fed the holocaust to realize that words can indeed be fatal.

It is political speech to say "I disagree with the legislation." It is protected free speech to lay out all the ills I might conceive could result from legislation I disagree with. It is not protected free speech to wish bodily harm upon a legislator. That becomes incitement to terrorism and targets the person and not the politics.

Here in the land of free speech, it has been illegal to utter threats against the president since 1917. Congress may soon be considering legislation to extend that protection to members of the House and Senate and Judiciary. It would only make sense in light of the attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the murder of U. S. District Judge John M. Roll, along with five other persons, and thirteen more people wounded at a public meeting last Saturday.

Here's a non-violent response: just turn them off. Turn off the television or the radio whenever violent rhetoric is used. When the point is to foment hate for a person or a group, take action for peace and turn a deaf ear.

Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change. Let words of violence wither away from lack of a receptive audience. Foment a word revolution, exercising free speech to spread words of hope and peace.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Then my curiosity bump asked what is Faster Than Kudzu, where I was laughing out loud in the first paragraph. From there I traveled fast as a megabit can to If I Could - because of course I wondered, could what? Could anything! It is marvelous! They are all marvelous.

The one thing all these blogs have in common is that they are so upbeat they are a gift. After spending the past year sunk in depression, I can appreciate such a gift.

So here is my New Year's gift - a few links that made me smile. Let me know if they work that way for you too.